Multicolor-printing press.



No. 65l,97l. Patented June 19, 1900.

a. KEMPF.

MULTIGOLOR PRINTING PRES$- (Application filed Dec. 19, 189,83),

(No mm.) l4 Sheets-Sheet a.

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Patented lune I9, I900.

Nu. 65l,97l.

G. KEMPF.

MULTICOLUR PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, nabs.

l4 Shuts-Sheet 2;

(No Model.)

m: mums Pawns can FHOTO-LITHQ, WASNINGYON. n c.

Patented June [9, I900.

G. KEMPF.

MULTIGDLOR PRINTING PRESS.

Nd. 651,97I.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.)

I4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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Patented June l9, I900.

No. 65l,97i.

G, KEMPF.

MULTICOLOB PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.)

l4 Sheets$heet 4.

(No Model.)

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Patented lune I9, I900.

G. KEMPF. MULTIQOLUR PRINTING PRESS.

l4 SheetsSheet 5.

- (Application filed. Dec. 19, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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No. 651,97lj

Patented June [9, I900. G. K'EMPF.

MULTICOLDR PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.)

l4 Sheets-Sheet 8.

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m2 Nonms PETERS o0, Puma-unit, wumucn'uu. n. c

No. 65l,97l. Patented Jun'e l9, I900;

G. KEMPF.

MULTICOLOB PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.)

' l4 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

m: "snags vz'rsns co. PNOTO-LITNQ. vhsumuwn, u c.

No. 65l,97l. Patented lune l9, I900:

G. KEMPF. MULTICOLOR PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed bee. 19, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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m: uonm's PETERS co wutuu'ma. WASHINGTON, u. c.

Patented .lune' I9; 1900.

s. KEMPF. MULTICOLUR PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed, Dec. 19, 1898.)

(N0, Modl.)

m: mums PETERS co, Pud'roumo. wAsmucn'om n. a

i No. e5|,97|. Patented June I9, 1900-.

- a. KEMPF.

MULTICOLOB PRiNTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, ups.)

- (No Model.) I4 Sheets-She ll.

THE Monms FETE RS ca. PHOTO LITHO WASHING-TON. 04 c.

No'.i65|,v97l Patented June I9, I900;

6-. KEMPFL MULTICOLOB PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.

I4 Sheets-Shet l2.

'(No Modal.)

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"N0. 65|,97l. Patented June I9, 1900.

G. KE'MPF.

MULTICOLOB PRINTING PRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 18 98.) (N u M o d el l4 Sheets-Sheet l3.

W NESSES.-

- No. 65l,97|.

a; KEMPF.

Patehted June 19, 1900.

- MULTICOLOR'PRINTING PRESS.

(Apphcqtlon file Dec 19, 189

(No Model.)

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M NH

WWW mm ZAMJJ M Z 1 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFI E.

GUSTAV KEMPF, OF ST. MARIE, AUX-MINES, GERMANY.

MULTlCOLOR-PRINTING PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part tr Letters Patent No. 651,971, dated June 19,1900. Application fileilDecember '19, 1892;. Serial No. 699.729. (NomodeLl To all whom it may concern:

ject of the Emperor of Germany,-residing at St. Marie, Aux-Mines,Alsace, Germany,have

invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multicolor-PrintingPresses, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exactspecification. The present invention relates toan improved automaticmulticolor-printing press adapted for lithography, photo-engraving, or

ordinary printing, the object being to provide a press adapted forprinting in six colors'and to be used for printing in any number ofcolors in successive series by decreasing or increasing the number ofstone boxes or beds and the printing and inking mechanisms. Ihave alsoaimed to provide a press in which the sheet which receives theimpressions does not leave the machine before all colors are printed andis dry when taken down, and in which the man at the press need only toput in and take down the sheet, all other manipulations beingaccomplished automatically by the machine; the gearing-actuating andworking mechanisms for the form-cylinder, the inking-table, the inkingand the wiping rollers, and the inking work being arranged to bringthese parts of the press automatically into the proper position for theimpression of the next color after the impression of the preceding one.I have also made provision for adjusting or turning these partsindependently of the gearing arrangement by hand.

The invention consists both in the general total construction of themachine and inthe particular devices for throwing the printing cylinderinto and out of gear, the arrangements of the inking mechanism and themechanisms for the actuating and exchanging of the parts entering intoaction at every new color-printing. l

Figures 1, 1*, and 1 of the accompanying drawings taken together are aside elevation of the machine. Figs. 2, '2, and 2 are together a planview of the same.- Figs. 3 and 4: are detail end views of the inkingmechanism. Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of a portion of the mechanismshown in Figs. 3

and 4. Fig.- 5 is a detail showing one of the ink-troughs or colonboxesin longitudinal section. Figs. 6 and 6 showthe mechanism for p Y openingand closing the gripper on the im- Be it known that I, GUSTAV'KEMPF,asub I of the stone-bed cylinder and the inking-table. Figs. 8 and 8show in elevation and plan theeccentric for actuating the mechanismshown in Fig. 6i. Figs. 9 and 10 show,

respectively, a diagram and a ground plan.

.view, partlyin section, of the means for raising the inking and wipingrollers. Figs. 11 and 12 show in diagram and in transverse section oneof the disks serving to journal the inking and wiping rollers with thecylinders and sector-shaped auxiliary journalingplates. Figs. 13 and 14show the auxiliary journaling-plate.

The multicolor-press has a bed-plate A with two tracks A, on which fivecoupled carrying rollers B move, which carry the carriage B Thiscarriage carries two hexagonal cylinders D and E, which are rotated upontheir axes by means of a shaft and worm and aworm-wheel, D being theform-cylinder and E the inkingtable. Six stones, zinc plates, or printin1 to 6, which are secured by tension-screws e .and adjusted thereby tothe required degree. B represents a table situated at the upper part ofthe frame of the color-printing press, on which the printed sheetsreleased from the printing-cylinder can be placed. The movement of thecarriage B with the two hexagonal cylinders D and E is efiected by twotoothed wheels I which engage simultaneously in toothed tracks of theplateand the carriage. The toothed wheels I) are connected by thepitman-rods 'b' and the crankpins b with the two gear-wheels bi, mountedeach on an auxiliary gearing-shaft F. The two gear-wheels b produce withevery rotation of the shaft F one reciprocation of the carriage B.

G is the impression-cylinder, and G the sheet-feeding board. Theimpression-cylinder is provided at each extremity with a spur gearGflloy which it rolls on the toothed tracks B of the carriage in itstravel to and fro. This cylinder is provided with a hollow axis, throughwhich the cylinder may be heated-by means of gas. [It has also asheet-gripping device which opens and shuts automatically after eachsixth color impression, so that'the printed sheet can be taken down anda new, sheet put, in, and it is further provided with. a device whichcatches the impression-cylinder after each single-color impression,arresting it during the time while the exchanging and inking of theform-cylinder takes place and then setting it to Work againautomatically.

The spurgears G of the impression-cylin der are leveled'or flattenedover the whole length of the cylinder at the place where the cylindercomes to a standstill, so that the i small lever 9 connected with thegripper g The arm g is actuated by a spring 9 which tends to press it onthe surface of the printing cylinderG in order to clamp in thepapersheet on the printing-cylinder.

, the spring g so as to release the papersheet if its cylinder glidesupward on the concentri'c part of thedisk 9 As soon as the cocentric genters into action the lever-lg holds the disk or plate 9 fast byengaging a shouli 5 5 during the rotation of the impres sion-cylin-,,.

- tremity of the'cylinder a blockor roller ,2

of said cylinder.

lever runs out from the recess 9 in the furthe'r revolution of theimpression cylinder and runs upon the concentric periphery of the-plateg, andthe gripper opensinconse- *quence. As soon as the eccentric 1ceases to act thelever g is disengaged from the rod 9 and a spiralspring g retracts thedisk der a' disk or plate 9 (see dotted lines, Fig.

6 with a recess similar to the recess in lplateg, isarranged at theother extremity I The sheave Q of thegrippier-lever fa'lls into'thisrecesswhen the gripperiopens. The gripper g has on thisexintended-to'fall into a cut-out 9 When the impression cyl-inder is atwork, the sheave I or roll glides on the periphery of the plate 'g. 7The latter isnot loose, but isscre'wed H v p p The arm g can lift thearmin opposition to the action of dependently of the gearing device.

fast on the bearing-supports of the impres sion-cylinder. j

The arrangement for catching the impression-cylinder after eachimpression and for starting the same before each new impression,consists of a crank 9 set on the axle of the impression-cylinder withpins g Fig. 6 and a double-armedlever g with fork-shaped extremity inwhich the pin 9 rests. When the crank andthe lever assume the directionof a straight line, (see Fig. 6%) the spur-gear GX oftheimpression-cylinder is disengaged from the rack B of the carriage Bandthe impression-cylinderis arrested; but when the lever g is moved to theright or left the spur-gears of the impression-cylinder engage in theracks B of the carriage B. Thelateral movement of the lever 9 servesonly to start the rotation of the impression-cylinder. Two eccentrics gg", Figs. 1 and 8, which ac tuate a slide-block provided with two rollsQ18, and which are set on the auxiliary gearing-shaft F, serve to movethelever g" through connecting-rod g H H designate the wiping andinking-rollers. They rest in two sheaves or disks h, journaled in oneshaft, Figs. 11 and 12.

c For each individual color five cylinders 7L3 are provided in thepresent case, and they are so arranged that the three front cylinderssituated on one plane revolve in the direction as indicated by arrows.The pins 72. of the rollers rest in slots h" of the sheaves h providedat each extremity, and are held by sect0r-shaped plates hm, which arefastened on the disks 77. by means of screw-bolts h. The rotary movementof this cylinder system for setting the same for each individualcolor tobe printed is effected bythe principal gearing device described below bymeans of worms and worm-wheels, While measures are taken to revolve thiscylinder system by hand in- In order to elevate, if necessary, thewiping and printing-rollers in such a manner'that they cannot touch thecolor-plates, the following arrangement is provided: Near the printingcylinder a handwheelh is journaled,l1ig's. 1, 9, and

.10 which'is connected with a connecting-rod h. The axles h of bothroller systems HH' rest'eccentrically in pillowrbushes h, which are ofone piece with one arm 71. each. Both arms ih are connecte'd with eachotherb'y a rod hiwhile the one arm Wis-linked with the one extremity ofthe connecting-rod h. This arrangement allows a simultaneous ascent ordescent of the axles h of the cylinder system H H by a distanceequivalent to the distance of the geometrical axes of h land h; For thispurpose the hand-wheel h must be turned in the one or the other.direction.

' I'designates the'inking or color system. It consistsof'a shaft 1',with two plates .i' '5', Figs.

disks or plates carrying six fcolor-boxes or ink-troughs 7' of-theinterior arrangement IIO shown in Fig. 5. The color-boxes rest in theplates i c" by means of round pins or axles 'ii. 7

The pins at one side of the inking or color system carry each a smalllever 2 which is linked to one of the six arms 1' of an annular band 1'The pins 1 arranged at the other side of the inking or color system,carry loose cog-wheels 2' Figs. 4: and 4:, each of which engages acog-Wheel 2' set stationary on the shaft 2' of the color-box, and theyalso carry the toothed wheels 2' and the handwheels 11 The toothedwheels 1 2' and-the hand-wheel of each single pin 2' form one fixedsystem, which makes it possible to give one independent rotation by handto the gear. In order to impart m echanically a suitable rotation to theinking-cylinders of that colorbox which shall supply ink next, a toothedwheel segment i Fig. 4, is loosely arranged on the shaft 2' of theinking or color system, said segment being inserted and maintained inproper position by means of a stud-bolt 6 sliding in its slot. When theinking system is set to work, the cog-wheels 2' on the colorbox pins 2'engage successively with the sta- I tionary toothed wheel segment andreceive a revolution, which they communicate to the color-box rollers.

As shown in Fig. 5, each color-box j has an ink-distributing roller jand an ink-delivery roller j elbow-lever 7' The shorter arm of thisanglelever can be set by any suitable means in such a manner that thecolor-roller J 2 on the longer arm can press with variable pressureagainst the color-distributing roller j. The color-box contains,moreover, an ink-regulating scraper 3' which can be inserted andadjusted by screws j j and also a hinged lid 7.

In order to obtain automatic change in the various parts of themulticolor-press after each color impression, a gearing and actuatingmechanism of the following construction is provided. On the main shaftK, Figs. 1, 2, and 7, providedwith fast and loose pulleys k k and withfly-wheel is a gear K which engages into the gear 11 on the auxiliaryshaft F. The auxiliary shaft F carries a wheel f, which is toothedonone-sixth part of its circumference. This wheel f engages with acogwheel Z, of equal diameter, on a second auxiliary shaft L, and thetoothed circumference of this wheel. is divided into six sections. Thuswhile the auxiliary shaft F makes one complete revolution the auxiliaryshaft L rotatesonly by one-sixth of its circumference; The auxiliaryshaft F starts the reciprocating movements of the carriage B, asdescribed, and also the described movements of catching and starting theimpression-cylinder, while the auxiliary shaft L, providing for theinsertion of mechanism described hereinafter, serves the purpose ofimparting an alternating motion to the form-cylinder D, the inking-tableE, the wiping-rollers H H, and the inking system, so as to bring thecorrespond- The latter hangs in a movable ing parts for the new colorimpression into working position and to start the movements required forthe opening of. the grippers of the impression-cylinder G after the lastcolor impression has taken place. A bevel-wheel Z is keyed on the shaftL, and this bevelwheel engages in a bevel l, at the lower extremity of avertical shaft Z Figs. 1, 7, 7 and 7 At the upper end of the shaft Z isa bevel-wheel Z engaging with a bevel-wheel Z of a horizontal shaft I.On the latter are the worms Z Z and Z below the inking system I and thewiping-rollers H H, and these worms catch into corresponding worm-wheelsfor gearing these parts. The transmission is such that with one-sixthrevolution of the shaft L the inkingsystem and wiping-roller systemcomplete a sixth-revolution. More over, a worm-wheel m is fixed onthevertical shaft Z and this worm-wheelengages another worm-wheel m of thesame diameter. The worm-wheel m is mounted on a horizontal shaft m whichcarries two worms m m, which engage with the worm-wheels m? m on theaxles of the form-cylinder D and the inking-table E. This worm-gearingis arranged in such a manner that one-sixth rotation of the shaft Lcauses one-sixth revolution of the form-cylinder and of the inkingtable. This worm-wheel m is loosely arranged on the shaft m while ahand-wheel m is fixed on the extremity of the shaft. This hand-Wheel canbe brought into fixed connection with the worm-wheel m by a bolt and nutm When the bolt is turned out from the worm-wheel m, the latter can onlyrotate loosely on the shaft m and the operator is enabled to turn theshaft by means of the hand-wheel, thus imparting to the stonebedcylinder and theinking-table a movement independent of their gearingmechanism.

The possibility of revolving the form-cylinder and the color-tableindependently of the general gearing m echanism is of particularadvantage when new forms are set into the cylinder or when printingirregularities shall be corrected without the necessity of actuatingother parts of the printing-press.

. The throwing of the machine out of gear is effected by the hand-levern, which connects with the belt-shifter by means of the shaft n, thebevel-wheels n a the shaft 01 bevel wheels n a, shaft 7, andbevel-wheels n n". In Figs. 1 and 2 a brake is shown, the brakeshoe 0'of which is pressed against the flywheel 70 by means of the rod 0 bypressing down the rod p, so that the machine can be stopped almostinstantaneously, if necessary.

The mode of action of the gearing arrangement described is brieflyasfollows: Fig. 1

shows the position of the multicolor-press after it has executed thelast impression. Then the mutation in the various parts of the pressmust take place in order to execute the first impression-that is,tobring forward the formbed' No. 1, the color-table No. 1, thecorrespending inking and wipingrollers and the correspondingink-fountain. The gear and the fly-wheel k revolve in the direction ofthe arrow and produce an opposite rotation of-the gear b and thesegment-wheel f, which latter turns thesegment-wheel l. During this timethe stone-bed cylinder and the inkingtable cylinders are turned by meansof the bevel-wheels Z Z of the Worm-wheels m m and the shaft m with theworms and worm-wheels. The revolution of these parts lasts While thesegment wheel 1" acts upon the segment wheel Z. The inking system andthe wiping and inking rollers are likewise turned by bevel-wheels Z 1shaft 1, and engage with worm -wheels in a corresponding measure.

, During this operation ofthe driving or gearing mechanisms the inkingsystem I and the color to be printed.

wiping and printing roller systems H H have revolved by one sixth oftheir circumference, thus being placed into "the position in which theyoperate in common with the corresponding form and color tables. In thisrevolution of the inking system the revolution of the next operatingink-distributing rollerjhas taken place, inasmuch as the toothed wheel t,belonging thereto, has unwound on the toothed sector t'. In thatoperation the ink has been transferred from the ink-box to thecolor-distributing roller 7' so that this roller gives or yields ink tothe corresponding colortable E, passing beneath it. In the forwardmovement of the carriage B the color delivered by the roller j to thecolor-table E is distrlbuted by the rollers of the group H on thecolor-table. This table yields its color to the corresponding rollers ofthe groupH, which put it on the corresponding form of the cylj inder Dat the return movement of the carriage B. The two cylinders D and Eexecute their one-sixth revolution before they come;

into contact, respectively, with H and with H and I. The contact of Dwith H and of E with H and I thus takes place twice for the in- 7dividual ink-deliveries--once in the forward travel, when theprinting-cylinder is at rest, and once in the backward travel, when theprinting-cylinder moves. In this operation the roller system H inks theform-bed D with j the color to be printed, while the inking dej vice Isupplies the color-table E with the next f To execute the impressionssuccessively, it

is necessary that the impression just made should always dryimmediately. To accom-f plish this purpose, a gas heating device orconduit p is provided, by means of which each impression is driedimmediately. Hence no sheets will-be smudged, and the finest chromotypework can be executed onthismachine. v

The damping-rollers M, situated behind the printing-cylinder D, areintended to moisten each form of the form-table D at its advance, sothat the color is distributed uniformly on the form by the rollers H.Three such rollers are represented. of which the upper one is fed withliquid in the usual manner, said upper rollers feeding it to the twolower rollers, which transfer it to the form;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. Amulticolor-printing machine comprising a form-cylinder D, a color-tableE, inking and wiping rollers, H. H and an inking system I havingmultiple sections corresponding to the number of colors to be printed,means for giving said parts a step-by-step rotation to bring thenextcolor-printing sections into working position after the operation ofone set of single-color-printing sections, an impression-cylindercooperating with said parts, grippers for holding the sheet to theimpression-cylinder, and means for causing said grippers to hold thesheet to the impressioncylinder until the last color of the set isprinted substantially as described.

2. In a multicolor-printing machine, the combination with thereciprocatingbed havbrought successively into printing position, of acolor-feeding device comprising the rotary plates, the series of troughssupported upon pins or axles journaled in said plates,

arms projecting from said axles, a stationary eccentric, and a strapencircling said eccentric and linked to said arms for maintaining saidtroughs in a horizontal position substantially as described.

3. In a multicolor-printing machine the combination with theform-cylinder, colortable, and inking and wiping rollers arranged insets of means for shifting said parts to print the successive colorscomprising a driving-segment," a driving-wheel having its ,peripherydivided into as many segments as there are colors to be printed andadapted to be operated by said driving-segment, and operatingconnections from said driving-wheel to the parts to be operated,substantially as 3 described. 1

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

. GUSTAV KEMPF.

Witnesses T. RANNIE, T. URNER.

